Euripides, Alcestis, Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator), 606

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Ihr Männer Pherd's, die so liebevoll genaht,

Die Todte hat nun Alles, und hoch tragen sie
590

Zum Scheiterhausen und zum Grab die Diener schon.

Ihr aber grüßt nach hergebrachter Sitte sie,

Die nun vom Hause wallt hinaus den lezten Gang!

Chor.

Mit greisem Fuße seh' ich deinen Vater dort

Annah'n, und deinem Weibe trägt die Dienerschaar
595

Den Schmuck in Hånden, dessen sich die Todten freun.

Pheres.

Ich komme, fühle deinen Schmerz, mein Sohn, mit dir;

Wohl hast du, Niemand widerspricht's, ein züchtiges,

Ein edles Weib verloren; aber dieses muß

Man tragen, ist es noch so schwer zu tragen auch.
600

Nimm diesen Schmuck denn, und zur Erde walle sie

Hinab! Verehrung heischt von uns der Theuren Leib,

Die, Sohn, für dich ihr Leben hingeopfert hat,

Es nicht geduldet, daß ich, kinderlos und dein

Beraubt, im Alter kummervoll verschmachtete,
605

Nein, die des Lebens hochsten Ruhm für alle Fraun

Errang, bestehend diese kühn erhabne That.

Du, die den Sohn gerettet, und aus tiefem Fall

Uns aufgerichtet, fahre wohl, und möge dir's

Wohl gehn in Hades' Hause! Ja, der Männer Glück
610

Sind solche Frauen; anders frommt die Ehe nicht.

Admetos.

Alcestis. Euripides. Johann Jakob Christian Donner (Translator). . .

Current edition Experimental

German (J. J. C. Donner, 1841; OCR review) (OCR draft) (German) (Euripides. Deutsch in den Versmaßen der Urschrift. Volume 1, Heidelberg: C. F. Winter, 1841. Harvard OCR compared with an independent BSB copy. Native Donner verse citations, Murray reference cards, explicitly located notes and page facsimiles. Unresolved OCR, verse divisions, unlocated notes and printed errata are documented in the source review.)

Provisional text from uncorrected OCR; expect errors.

Editions (1)

Ἄλκηστις Perseus (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. I. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1902.) — 606-860 focus

Ἄδμητος

ἀνδρῶν Φεραίων εὐμενὴς παρουσία,

νέκυν μὲν ἤδη πάντ’ ἔχοντα πρόσπολοι

φέρουσιν ἄρδην πρὸς τάφον τε καὶ πυράν·

ὑμεῖς δὲ τὴν θανοῦσαν, ὡς νομίζεται,

προσείπατ’ ἐξιοῦσαν ὑστάτην ὁδόν.
610

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὁρῶ σὸν πατέρα γηραιῷ ποδὶ

στείχοντʼ, ὀπαδούς τ’ ἐν χεροῖν δάμαρτι σῇ

κόσμον φέροντας, νερτέρων ἀγάλματα.

Φέρης

ἥκω κακοῖσι σοῖσι συγκάμνων, τέκνον·

ἐσθλῆς γάρ, οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ, καὶ σώφρονος
615

γυναικὸς ἡμάρτηκας. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν

φέρειν ἀνάγκη καίπερ ὄντα δύσφορα.

δέχου δὲ κόσμον τόνδε, καὶ κατὰ χθονὸς

ἴτω. τὸ ταύτης σῶμα τιμᾶσθαι χρεών,

ἥτις γε τῆς σῆς προύθανε ψυχῆς, τέκνον,
620

καί μ’ οὐκ ἄπαιδ’ ἔθηκεν οὐδ’ εἴασε σοῦ

στερέντα γήρᾳ πενθίμῳ καταφθίνειν,

πάσαις δ’ ἔθηκεν εὐκλεέστερον βίον

γυναιξίν, ἔργον τλᾶσα γενναῖον τόδε.

ὦ τόνδε μὲν σώσασʼ, ἀναστήσασα δὲ
625

ἡμᾶς πίτνοντας, χαῖρε, κἀν Ἅιδου δόμοις

εὖ σοι γένοιτο. φημὶ τοιούτους γάμους

λύειν βροτοῖσιν, ἢ γαμεῖν οὐκ ἄξιον.

629

Ἄδμητος

οὔτ’ ἦλθες ἐς τόνδ’ ἐξ ἐμοῦ κληθεὶς τάφον,

οὔτ’ ἐν φίλοισι σὴν παρουσίαν λέγω.
630

κόσμον δὲ τὸν σὸν οὔποθ’ ἥδ’ ἐνδύσεται.

οὐ γάρ τι τῶν σῶν ἐνδεὴς ταφήσεται.

τότε ξυναλγεῖν χρῆν σ’ ὅτ’ ὠλλύμην ἐγώ.

σὺ δ’ ἐκποδὼν στὰς καὶ παρεὶς ἄλλῳ θανεῖν

νέῳ γέρων ὤν, τόνδ’ ἀποιμώξῃ νεκρόν;
635

οὐκ ἦσθ’ ἄρ’ ὀρθῶς τοῦδε σώματος πατήρ;

οὐδ’ ἡ τεκεῖν φάσκουσα καὶ κεκλημένη

μήτηρ μ’ ἔτικτε; δουλίου δ’ ἀφ’ αἵματος

μαστῷ γυναικὸς σῆς ὑπεβλήθην λάθρᾳ;

ἔδειξας εἰς ἔλεγχον ἐξελθὼν ὃς εἶ,
640

καί μ’ οὐ νομίζω παῖδα σὸν πεφυκέναι.

ἦ τἄρα πάντων διαπρέπεις ἀψυχίᾳ,

ὃς τηλικόσδ’ ὢν κἀπὶ τέρμ’ ἥκων βίου

οὐκ ἠθέλησας οὐδ’ ἐτόλμησας θανεῖν

τοῦ σοῦ πρὸ παιδός, ἀλλὰ τήνδ’ εἰάσατε
645

γυναῖκ’ ὀθνείαν, ἣν ἐγὼ καὶ μητέρα

πατέρα τέ γ’ ἐνδίκως ἂν ἡγοίμην μόνην.

καίτοι καλόν γ’ ἂν τόνδ’ ἀγῶν’ ἠγωνίσω,

τοῦ σοῦ πρὸ παιδὸς κατθανών, βραχὺς δέ σοι

πάντως ὁ λοιπὸς ἦν βιώσιμος χρόνος.
650

κἀγώ τ’ ἂν ἔζων χἥδε τὸν λοιπὸν χρόνον,

κοὐκ ἂν μονωθεὶς ἔστενον κακοῖς ἐμοῖς.

καὶ μὴν ὅσ’ ἄνδρα χρὴ παθεῖν εὐδαίμονα

πέπονθας· ἥβησας μὲν ἐν τυραννίδι,

παῖς δ’ ἦν ἐγώ σοι τῶνδε διάδοχος δόμων,
655

ὥστ’ οὐκ ἄτεκνος κατθανὼν ἄλλοις δόμον

λείψειν ἔμελλες ὀρφανὸν διαρπάσαι.

οὐ μὴν ἐρεῖς γέ μ’ ὡς ἀτιμάζοντα σὸν

γῆρας θανεῖν προύδωκας, ὅστις αἰδόφρων

πρὸς σ’ ἦ μάλιστα· κἀντὶ τῶνδέ μοι χάριν
660

τοιάνδε καὶ σὺ χἡ τεκοῦσ’ ἠλλαξάτην.

τοιγὰρ φυτεύων παῖδας οὐκέτ’ ἂν φθάνοις,

οἳ γηροβοσκήσουσι καὶ θανόντα σε

περιστελοῦσι καὶ προθήσονται νεκρόν.

οὐ γάρ σ’ ἔγωγε τῇδ’ ἐμῇ θάψω χερί·
665

τέθνηκα γὰρ δὴ τοὐπὶ σέ· εἰ δ’ ἄλλου τυχὼν

σωτῆρος αὐγὰς εἰσορῶ, κείνου λέγω

καὶ παῖδά μ’ εἶναι καὶ φίλον γηροτρόφον.

μάτην ἄρ’ οἱ γέροντες εὔχονται θανεῖν,

γῆρας ψέγοντες καὶ μακρὸν χρόνον βίου·
670

ἢν δ’ ἐγγὺς ἔλθῃ θάνατος, οὐδεὶς βούλεται

θνῄσκειν, τὸ γῆρας δ’ οὐκέτ’ ἔστ’ αὐτοῖς βαρύ.

Χορός

παύσασθʼ· ἅλις γὰρ ἡ παροῦσα συμφορά·

ὦ παῖ, πατρὸς δὲ μὴ παροξύνῃς φρένας.

675

Φέρης

ὦ παῖ, τίν’ αὐχεῖς, πότερα Λυδὸν ἢ Φρύγα
675

κακοῖς ἐλαύνειν ἀργυρώνητον σέθεν;

οὐκ οἶσθα Θεσσαλόν με κἀπὸ Θεσσαλοῦ

πατρὸς γεγῶτα γνησίως ἐλεύθερον;

ἄγαν ὑβρίζεις, καὶ νεανίας λόγους

ῥίπτων ἐς ἡμᾶς οὐ βαλὼν οὕτως ἄπει.
680

ἐγὼ δέ σ’ οἴκων δεσπότην ἐγεινάμην

κἄθρεψʼ, ὀφείλω δ’ οὐχ ὑπερθνῄσκειν σέθεν·

οὐ γὰρ πατρῷον τόνδ’ ἐδεξάμην νόμον,

παίδων προθνῄσκειν πατέρας, οὐδ’ Ἑλληνικόν.

σαυτῷ γὰρ εἴτε δυστυχὴς εἴτ’ εὐτυχὴς
685

ἔφυς· ἃ δ’ ἡμῶν χρῆν σε τυγχάνειν, ἔχεις.

πολλῶν μὲν ἄρχεις, πολυπλέθρους δέ σοι γύας

λείψω· πατρὸς γὰρ ταὔτ’ ἐδεξάμην πάρα.

τί δῆτά σ’ ἠδίκηκα; τοῦ σ’ ἀποστερῶ;

μὴ θνῇσχ’ ὑπὲρ τοῦδ’ ἀνδρός, οὐδ’ ἐγὼ πρὸ σοῦ.
690

χαίρεις ὁρῶν φῶς· πατέρα δ’ οὐ χαίρειν δοκεῖς;

ἦ μὴν πολύν γε τὸν κάτω λογίζομαι

χρόνον, τὸ δὲ ζῆν μικρόν, ἀλλ’ ὅμως γλυκύ.

σὺ γοῦν ἀναιδῶς διεμάχου τὸ μὴ θανεῖν,

καὶ ζῇς παρελθὼν τὴν πεπρωμένην τύχην,
695

ταύτην κατακτάς· εἶτ’ ἐμὴν ἀψυχίαν

λέγεις, γυναικός, ὦ κάκισθʼ, ἡσσημένος,

ἣ τοῦ καλοῦ σοῦ προύθανεν νεανίου;

σοφῶς δ’ ἐφηῦρες ὥστε μὴ θανεῖν ποτε,

εἰ τὴν παροῦσαν κατθανεῖν πείσεις ἀεὶ
700

γυναῖχ’ ὑπὲρ σοῦ· κᾆτ’ ὀνειδίζεις φίλοις

τοῖς μὴ θέλουσι δρᾶν τάδʼ, αὐτὸς ὢν κακός;

σίγα· νόμιζε δʼ, εἰ σὺ τὴν σαυτοῦ φιλεῖς

ψυχήν, φιλεῖν ἅπαντας· εἰ δ’ ἡμᾶς κακῶς

ἐρεῖς, ἀκούσῃ πολλὰ κοὐ ψευδῆ κακά.
705

Χορός

πλείω λέλεκται νῦν τε καὶ τὰ πρὶν κακά·

παῦσαι δέ, πρέσβυ, παῖδα σὸν κακορροθῶν.

708

Ἄδμητος

λέγʼ, ὡς ἐμοῦ λέξαντος· εἰ δ’ ἀλγεῖς κλύων

τἀληθές, οὐ χρῆν σ’ εἰς ἔμ’ ἐξαμαρτάνειν.

Φέρης

σοῦ δ’ ἂν προθνῄσκων μᾶλλον ἐξημάρτανον.
710

Ἄδμητος

ταὐτὸν γὰρ ἡβῶντ’ ἄνδρα καὶ πρέσβυν θανεῖν;

Φέρης

ψυχῇ μιᾷ ζῆν, οὐ δυοῖν, ὀφείλομεν.

Ἄδμητος

καὶ μὴν Διός γε μείζονα ζῴης χρόνον.

Φέρης

ἀρᾷ γονεῦσιν οὐδὲν ἔκδικον παθών;

Ἄδμητος

μακροῦ βίου γὰρ ᾐσθόμην ἐρῶντά σε.
715

Φέρης

ἀλλ’ οὐ σὺ νεκρὸν ἀντὶ σοῦ τόνδ’ ἐκφέρεις;

Ἄδμητος

σημεῖα τῆς σῆς, ὦ κάκιστʼ, ἀψυχίας.

Φέρης

οὔτοι πρὸς ἡμῶν γ’ ὤλετʼ· οὐκ ἐρεῖς τόδε.

Ἄδμητος

φεῦ· εἴθ’ ἀνδρὸς ἔλθοις τοῦδέ γ’ ἐς χρείαν ποτέ.

Φέρης

μνήστευε πολλάς, ὡς θάνωσι πλείονες.
720

Ἄδμητος

σοὶ τοῦτ’ ὄνειδος· οὐ γὰρ ἤθελες θανεῖν.

Φέρης

φίλον τὸ φέγγος τοῦτο τοῦ θεοῦ, φίλον.

Ἄδμητος

κακὸν τὸ λῆμα κοὐκ ἐν ἀνδράσιν τὸ σόν.

Φέρης

οὐκ ἐγγελᾷς γέροντα βαστάζων νεκρόν.

Ἄδμητος

θανῇ γε μέντοι δυσκλεής, ὅταν θάνῃς.
725

Φέρης

κακῶς ἀκούειν οὐ μέλει θανόντι μοι.

Ἄδμητος

φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ γῆρας ὡς ἀναιδείας πλέων.

Φέρης

ἥδ’ οὐκ ἀναιδής· τήνδ’ ἐφηῦρες ἄφρονα.

Ἄδμητος

ἄπελθε κἀμὲ τόνδ’ ἔα θάψαι νεκρόν.

Φέρης

ἄπειμι· θάψεις δ’ αὐτὸς ὢν αὐτῆς φονεύς,
730

δίκας δὲ δώσεις σοῖσι κηδεσταῖς ἔτι.

ἦ τἄρ’ Ἄκαστος οὐκέτ’ ἔστ’ ἐν ἀνδράσιν,

εἰ μή σ’ ἀδελφῆς αἷμα τιμωρήσεται.

Ἄδμητος

ἔρρων νυν, αὐτὸς χἡ ξυνοικήσασά σοι,

ἄπαιδε παιδὸς ὄντος, ὥσπερ ἄξιοι,
735

γηράσκετʼ· οὐ γὰρ τῷδ’ ἔτ’ ἐς ταὐτὸν στέγος

νεῖσθʼ· εἰ δ’ ἀπειπεῖν χρῆν με κηρύκων ὕπο

τὴν σὴν πατρῴαν ἑστίαν, ἀπεῖπον ἄν.

ἡμεῖς δέ—τοὐν ποσὶν γὰρ οἰστέον κακόν—

ὡς ἂν ἐν πυρᾷ θῶμεν νεκρόν.
740

741

Χορός

ἰὼ ἰώ. σχετλία τόλμης,

ὦ γενναία καὶ μέγ’ ἀρίστη,

χαῖρε· πρόφρων σὲ χθόνιός θ’ Ἑρμῆς

Ἅιδης τε δέχοιτʼ. εἰ δέ τι κἀκεῖ

πλέον ἔστ’ ἀγαθοῖς, τούτων μετέχουσ’
745

Ἅιδου νύμφῃ παρεδρεύοις.

747

Θεράπων

πολλοὺς μὲν ἤδη κἀπὸ παντοίας χθονὸς

ξένους μολόντας οἶδ’ ἐς Ἀδμήτου δόμους,

οἷς δεῖπνα προύθηκʼ· ἀλλὰ τοῦδ’ οὔπω ξένου

κακίον’ ἐς τήνδ’ ἑστίαν ἐδεξάμην.
750

ὃς πρῶτα μὲν πενθοῦντα δεσπότην ὁρῶν

ἐσῆλθε κἀτόλμησ’ ἀμείψασθαι πύλας.

ἔπειτα δ’ οὔτι σωφρόνως ἐδέξατο

τὰ προστυχόντα ξένια, συμφορὰν μαθών,

ἀλλʼ, εἴ τι μὴ φέροιμεν, ὤτρυνεν φέρειν.
755

ποτῆρα δ’ ἐν χείρεσσι κίσσινον λαβὼν

πίνει μελαίνης μητρὸς εὔζωρον μέθυ,

ἕως ἐθέρμην’ αὐτὸν ἀμφιβᾶσα φλὸξ

οἴνου· στέφει δὲ κρᾶτα μυρσίνης κλάδοις

ἄμουσ’ ὑλακτῶν· δισσὰ δ’ ἦν μέλη κλύειν·
760

ὃ μὲν γὰρ ᾖδε, τῶν ἐν Ἀδμήτου κακῶν

οὐδὲν προτιμῶν, οἰκέται δ’ ἐκλαίομεν

δέσποιναν· ὄμμα δ’ οὐκ ἐδείκνυμεν ξένῳ

τέγγοντες· Ἄδμητος γὰρ ὧδ’ ἐφίετο.

καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ μὲν ἐν δόμοισιν ἑστιῶ
765

ξένον, πανοῦργον κλῶπα καὶ λῃστήν τινα,

ἣ δ’ ἐκ δόμων βέβηκεν, οὐδ’ ἐφεσπόμην

οὐδ’ ἐξέτεινα χεῖρʼ, ἀποιμώζων ἐμὴν

δέσποιναν, ἣ ’μοὶ πᾶσί τ’ οἰκέταισιν ἦν

μήτηρ· κακῶν γὰρ μυρίων ἐρρύετο,
770

ὀργὰς μαλάσσουσ’ ἀνδρός. ἆρα τὸν ξένον

στυγῶ δικαίως, ἐν κακοῖς ἀφιγμένον;

773

Ἡρακλῆς

οὗτος, τί σεμνὸν καὶ πεφροντικὸς βλέπεις;

οὐ χρὴ σκυθρωπὸν τοῖς ξένοις τὸν πρόσπολον

εἶναι, δέχεσθαι δ’ εὐπροσηγόρῳ φρενί.
775

σὺ δ’ ἄνδρ’ ἑταῖρον δεσπότου παρόνθ’ ὁρῶν,

στυγνῷ προσώπῳ καὶ συνωφρυωμένῳ

δέχῃ, θυραίου πήματος σπουδὴν ἔχων.

δεῦρ’ ἔλθʼ, ὅπως ἂν καὶ σοφώτερος γένῃ.

τὰ θνητὰ πράγματ’ οἶδας ἣν ἔχει φύσιν;
780

οἶμαι μὲν οὔ· πόθεν γάρ; ἀλλ’ ἄκουέ μου.

βροτοῖς ἅπασι κατθανεῖν ὀφείλεται,

κοὐκ ἔστι θνητῶν ὅστις ἐξεπίσταται

τὴν αὔριον μέλλουσαν εἰ βιώσεται·

τὸ τῆς τύχης γὰρ ἀφανὲς οἷ προβήσεται,
785

κἄστ’ οὐ διδακτὸν οὐδ’ ἁλίσκεται τέχνῃ.

ταῦτ’ οὖν ἀκούσας καὶ μαθὼν ἐμοῦ πάρα,

εὔφραινε σαυτόν, πῖνε, τὸν καθ’ ἡμέραν

βίον λογίζου σόν, τὰ δ’ ἄλλα τῆς τύχης.

τίμα δὲ καὶ τὴν πλεῖστον ἡδίστην θεῶν
790

Κύπριν βροτοῖσιν· εὐμενὴς γὰρ ἡ θεός.

τὰ δ’ ἄλλ’ ἔασον ταῦτα καὶ πιθοῦ λόγοις

ἐμοῖσιν—εἴπερ ὀρθά σοι δοκῶ λέγειν;

οἶμαι μέν. οὔκουν τὴν ἄγαν λύπην ἀφεὶς

πίῃ μεθ’ ἡμῶν τάσδ’ ὑπερβαλὼν τύχας,
795

στεφάνοις πυκασθείς; καὶ σάφ’ οἶδ’ ὁθούνεκα

τοῦ νῦν σκυθρωποῦ καὶ ξυνεστῶτος φρενῶν

μεθορμιεῖ σε πίτυλος ἐμπεσὼν σκύφου.

ὄντας δὲ θνητοὺς θνητὰ καὶ φρονεῖν χρεών·

ὡς τοῖς γε σεμνοῖς καὶ συνωφρυωμένοις
800

ἅπασίν ἐστιν, ὥς γ’ ἐμοὶ χρῆσθαι κριτῇ,

οὐ βίος ἀληθῶς ὁ βίος, ἀλλὰ συμφορά.

Θεράπων

ἐπιστάμεσθα ταῦτα· νῦν δὲ πράσσομεν

οὐχ οἷα κώμου καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια.

Ἡρακλῆς

γυνὴ θυραῖος ἡ θανοῦσα· μὴ λίαν
805

πένθει· δόμων γὰρ ζῶσι τῶνδε δεσπόται.

Θεράπων

τί ζῶσιν; οὐ κάτοισθα τἀν δόμοις κακά;

Ἡρακλῆς

εἰ μή τι σός με δεσπότης ἐψεύσατο.

Θεράπων

ἄγαν ἐκεῖνός ἐστ’ ἄγαν φιλόξενος.

Ἡρακλῆς

οὐ χρῆν μ’ ὀθνείου γ’ οὕνεκ’ εὖ πάσχειν νεκροῦ;
810

Θεράπων

ἦ κάρτα μέντοι καὶ λίαν θυραῖος ἦν.

Ἡρακλῆς

μῶν ξυμφοράν τιν’ οὖσαν οὐκ ἔφραζέ μοι;

Θεράπων

χαίρων ἴθʼ· ἡμῖν δεσποτῶν μέλει κακά.

Ἡρακλῆς

ὅδ’ οὐ θυραίων πημάτων ἄρχει λόγος.

Θεράπων

οὐ γάρ τι κωμάζοντ’ ἂν ἠχθόμην σ’ ὁρῶν.
815

816

Ἡρακλῆς

ἀλλ’ ἦ πέπονθα δείν’ ὑπὸ ξένων ἐμῶν;

Θεράπων

οὐκ ἦλθες ἐν δέοντι δέξασθαι δόμοις.

πένθος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι· καὶ στολμοὺς βλέπεις

μελαμπέπλους κουράν τε.

Ἡρακλῆς

τίς δ’ ὁ κατθανών;

μῶν ἢ τέκνων τι φροῦδον ἢ γέρων πατήρ;
820

Θεράπων

γυνὴ μὲν οὖν ὄλωλεν Ἀδμήτου, ξένε.

Ἡρακλῆς

τί φῄς; ἔπειτα δῆτά μ’ ἐξενίζετε;

Θεράπων

ᾐδεῖτο γάρ σε τῶνδ’ ἀπώσασθαι δόμων.

Ἡρακλῆς

ὦ σχέτλιʼ, οἵας ἤμπλακες ξυναόρου.

Θεράπων

ἀπωλόμεσθα πάντες, οὐ κείνη μόνη.
825

Ἡρακλῆς

ἀλλ’ ᾐσθόμην μὲν ὄμμ’ ἰδὼν δακρυρροοῦν

κουράν τε καὶ πρόσωπον· ἀλλ’ ἔπειθέ με

λέγων θυραῖον κῆδος ἐς τάφον φέρειν.

βίᾳ δὲ θυμοῦ τάσδ’ ὑπερβαλὼν πύλας

ἔπινον ἀνδρὸς ἐν φιλοξένου δόμοις,
830

πράσσοντος οὕτω. κᾆτ’ ἐκώμαζον κάρα

στεφάνοις πυκασθείς; ἀλλὰ σοῦ τὸ μὴ φράσαι,

κακοῦ τοσούτου δώμασιν προκειμένου.

ποῦ καί σφε θάπτει; ποῦ νιν εὑρήσω μολών;

Θεράπων

ὀρθὴν παρ’ οἶμον, ἣ ’πὶ Λάρισαν φέρει,
835

τύμβον κατόψῃ ξεστὸν ἐκ προαστίου.

Ἡρακλῆς

ὦ πολλὰ τλᾶσα καρδία καὶ χεὶρ ἐμή,

νῦν δεῖξον οἷον παῖδά σ’ ἡ Τιρυνθία

Ἠλεκτρύωνος γείνατ’ Ἀλκμήνη Διί.

δεῖ γάρ με σῶσαι τὴν θανοῦσαν ἀρτίως
840

γυναῖκα κἀς τόνδ’ αὖθις ἱδρῦσαι δόμον

Ἄλκηστιν, Ἀδμήτῳ θ’ ὑπουργῆσαι χάριν.

ἐλθὼν δ’ ἄνακτα τὸν μελάμπεπλον νεκρῶν

Θάνατον φυλάξω, καί νιν εὑρήσειν δοκῶ

πίνοντα τύμβου πλησίον προσφαγμάτων.
845

κἄνπερ λοχαίας αὐτὸν ἐξ ἕδρας συθεὶς

μάρψω, κύκλον δὲ περιβάλω χεροῖν ἐμαῖν,

οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις αὐτὸν ἐξαιρήσεται

μογοῦντα πλευρά, πρὶν γυναῖκ’ ἐμοὶ μεθῇ.

ἢν δ’ οὖν ἁμάρτω τῆσδ’ ἄγρας, καὶ μὴ μόλῃ
850

πρὸς αἱματηρὸν πέλανον, εἶμι τῶν κάτω

Κόρης Ἄνακτός τ’ εἰς ἀνηλίους δόμους

αἰτήσομαί τε· καὶ πέποιθ’ ἄξειν ἄνω

Ἄλκηστιν, ὥστε χερσὶν ἐνθεῖναι ξένου,

ὅς μ’ ἐς δόμους ἐδέξατ’ οὐδ’ ἀπήλασε,
855

καίπερ βαρείᾳ συμφορᾷ πεπληγμένος,

ἔκρυπτε δ’ ὢν γενναῖος, αἰδεσθεὶς ἐμέ.

τίς τοῦδε μᾶλλον Θεσσαλῶν φιλόξενος,

τίς Ἑλλάδ’ οἰκῶν; τοιγὰρ οὐκ ἐρεῖ κακὸν

εὐεργετῆσαι φῶτα γενναῖος γεγώς.
860

Translations (2)

Alcestis Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906.) — 606-860 focus

Admetus

Men of Pherae, kindly gathered here, lo! even now my servants are bearing the corpse with all its trappings shoulder-high to the funeral pyre for burial; do ye, as custom bids,

salute the dead on her last journey starting.
610

Chorus

Look! I see thy father advancing with aged step, and servants too bearing in their arms adornment for thy wife, offerings for the dead.

Pheres

My son, I come to share thy sorrow,

for thou hast lost a noble, peerless wife; that no man will deny. Yet must thou needs bear this blow, hard though it be. Accept this garniture, and let it go beneath the earth, for rightly is her body honoured,
615

since she died to save thy life, my son, and gave me back my child, suffering me not to lose thee and pine away in an old age of sorrow. Thus by the generous deed she dared, hath she made her life a noble example for all her sex.
620

Farewell to thee, who hast saved this son of mine and raised me up when falling; be thine a happy lot even in Hades’ halls! Such marriages I declare are gain to man, else to wed is not worth while.
625

629

Admetus

Thou hast come uncalled by me to this burial,

nor do I count thy presence as a friendly act. Never shall she be clad in any garniture of thine, nor¹ in her burial will she need aught of thine. Thou shouldst have shewn thy sympathy at the time my doom was sealed. But thou didst stand aloof and let another die,
630

though thou wert old, the victim young; shalt thou then mourn the dead? Methinks thou wert no real sire of mine nor was she my true mother who calls herself and is called so, but² I was sprung of slave’s blood and privily substituted at thy wife’s breast.
635

Brought to the test thou hast shewn thy nature; I cannot think I am thy child by birth.
By heaven, thou art the very pattern of cowards, who at thy age, on the borderland of life, wouldst not, nay! couldst not find the heart to die
640

for thy own son; but ye, my parents, left to this stranger, whom I henceforth shall justly hold e’en as mother and as father too, and none but her. And yet ’twas a noble exploit to achieve, to die to save thy son, and in any case the
645

remnant of thy time to live was but short; and³ I and she would have lived the days that were to be, nor had I lost my wife and mourned my evil fate. Moreover thou hast had all treatment that a happy man should have; in princely pomp thy youth was spent,
650

thou hadst a son, myself, to be the heir of this thy home, so thou hadst no fear of dying childless and leaving thy house desolate, for strangers to pillage. Nor yet canst thou say I did dishonour thy old age and give thee up to die, seeing I have ever been
655

to thee most dutiful, and for this thou, my sire, and she, my mother, have made me this return. Go then, get other sons to tend thy closing years, prepare thy body for the grave, and lay out thy corpse.
660

For I will never bury thee with hand of mine; for I am dead for all thou didst for me; but if I found a saviour in another and still live, his son I say I am, and his fond nurse in old age will be. ’Tis vain, I see, the old man’s prayer for death,
665

his plaints at age and life’s long weariness. For if death do but draw near, not one doth wish to die; old age no more they count so burdensome.
670

Chorus

Peace! enough the present sorrow, O my son; goad not thy father’s soul to fury.

675

Pheres

Child, whom think’st thou art reviling? some Lydian or Phrygian bought with thy money? Art not aware I am a freebom Thessalian, son of a Thessalian sire? Thou art too insolent; yet from hence thou shalt not go as thou earnest,
675

after shooting out thy braggart tongue at me. To rule my house I begat and bred thee up; I own no debt of dying in thy stead; this is not the law that I received from my ancestors that fathers should die for children, nor is it a custom in Hellas.
680

For weal or woe, thy life must be thine own; whate’er was due from me to thee, thou hast. Dominion wide is thine, and acres broad I will leave to thee, for from my father did I inherit them. How, pray, have I wronged thee? of what am I robbing thee?
685

Die not thou for me, nor I for thee. Thy joy is in the light; think’st thou thy sire’s is not? By Heaven! ’tis a weary while, I trow, that time beneath the earth, and life, though short, is sweet. Thou at least didst struggle hard to ’scape thy death,
690

lost to shame, and by her death dost live beyond thy destined term. Dost thou then speak of cowardice in me, thou craven heart! no match for thy wife, who hath died for thee, her fine young lord? A clever scheme hast thou devised to stave off death for ever,
695

if thou canst persuade each new wife to die instead of thee; and dost thou then taunt thy friends, who will not do the like, coward as thou art thyself? Hold thy peace; reflect, if thou dost love thy life so well, this love by all is shared; yet if thou wilt speak ill of me,
700

thyself shalt hear a full and truthful list of thy own crimes.
705

Chorus

Too long that list both now and heretofore; cease, father, to revile thy son.

708

Admetus

Say on, for I have said my say; but if it vexes thee to hear the truth, thou shouldst not have sinned against me.

Pheres

My sin had been the deeper, had I died for thee.
710

Admetus

What! is it all one for young or old to die?

Pheres

To live one life, not twain, is all our due.

Admetus

Outlive then Zeus himself!

Pheres

Dost curse thy parents, though unharmed by them?

Admetus

Yea, for I see thy heart is set on length of days.
715

Pheres

Is it not to save thyself thou art carrying to the tomb this corpse?

Admetus

A proof of thy cowardice, thou craven heart!

Pheres

At any rate her death was not due to me; this thou canst not say.

Admetus

Ah! mayst thou some day come to need my aid!

Pheres

Woo many wives, that there may be the more to die.
720

Admetus

That is thy reproach, for thou didst refuse to die.

Pheres

Dear is the light of the sun-god, dear to all.

Admetus

A coward soul is thine, not to be reckoned among men.

Pheres

No laughing now for thee at bearing forth my aged corpse.

Admetus

Thy death will surely be a death of shame, come when it will.
725

Pheres

Once dead I little reck of foul report.

Admetus

Alas! how void of shame the old can be!

Pheres

Hers was no want of shame; ’twas want of sense in her that thou didst find.

Admetus

Begone! and leave me to bury my dead.

Pheres

I go; bury thy victim, thyself her murderer. Her kinsmen yet will call for an account. Else surely has Acastus ceased to be a man, if he avenge not on thee his sister’s blood.
730

Admetus

Perdition seize thee and that wife of thine!

grow old, as ye deserve, childless, though your son yet lives, for ye shall never enter the same abode with me; nay! were it needful I should disown thy paternal hearth by heralds’ voice, I had disowned it. (Exit PHERES). Now, since we must bear our present woe,
735

let us go and lay the dead upon the pyre. [Exit ADMETUS.
740

741

Chorus

Woe, woe for thee! Alas, for thy hardihood! Noble spirit, good beyond compare, farewell! May Hermes in the nether world, and Hades, too, give thee a kindly welcome! and if even in that other life

the good are rewarded, mayst thou have thy share therein and take thy seat by Hades’ bride!
745

747

Attendant

Many the guests ere now from every comer of the world I have seen come to the halls of Admetus, for whom I have spread the board, but never yet

have I welcomed to this hearth a guest so shameless as this; a man who, in the first place, though he saw my master’s grief, yet entered and presumed to pass the gates, then took what cheer we had in no sober spirit, though he knew our sorrow;
750

no! was there aught we failed to bring? he called for it. Next in his hands he took a goblet of ivy-wood and drank the pure juice of the black grape, till the mounting fumes of wine heated him, and he crowned his head with myrtle-sprays,
755

howling discordantly, while two-fold strains were there to hear, for he would sing without a thought for the troubles in Admetus’ halls, while we servants mourned our mistress, though we did not let the stranger see our streaming eyes, for such was the bidding of Admetus.
760

So now here am I entertaining as a guest some miscreant thief maybe, or robber, while she is gone forth from the house, nor did I follow her nor stretch my hand towards her bier, in mourning for my lady, who, to me, and all her servants,
765

was a mother, for she would save us from countless trouble, appeasing her husband’s angry mood. Have I not good cause then to loathe this guest who cometh in our hour of woe?
770

773

Heracles

Ho! sirrah, why that solemn, thoughtful look? ’Tis not the way for servants to scowl on guests,

but with courteous soul to welcome them. But thou, seeing a friend of thy master arrive, receivest him with sullen, lowering brow, though ’tis but a stranger that is the object of thy mourning. Come hither, that thou too mayst learn more wisdom.
775

Dost know the nature of this mortal state? I trow not; how shouldst thou? Well, lend an ear to me. Death is the common debt of man; no mortal really knows if he will live to see the morrow’s light;
780

for Fortune’s issues are not in our ken, beyond the teacher’s rule they lie, no art can master them. Hearken then to this and learn of me, be merry, drink thy cup, and count the present day thine own, the rest to Fortune yield.
785

And to Cypris too, sweetest of the gods by far to man, thy tribute pay, for kindly is her mood. Let be those other cares, and heed my counsel if thou think’st I speak aright; methinks I do. Come, banish this excessive grief,
790

and drink a cup with me when thou hast passed beyond these doors and wreathed thy brow; and I feel sure the plash of wine within the cup will bring thee to a better haven from this crabbed mood, this cabined state of mind.⁴ Mortals we are, and mortals’ thoughts should have;
795

for all they who frown and scowl do miss,—leastways I think so,—the true life and get themselves misfortune.
800

Attendant

I know all that, but our present state has little claim on revelry or laughter.

Heracles

The dead was a stranger woman; grieve not to excess; for the rulers of thy house are living.
805

Attendant

How, living? Thou knowest not the trouble in the house.

Heracles

I do, unless thy master did in aught deceive me.

Attendant

Too hospitable is he.

Heracles

Was I to miss good cheer because a stranger had died?
810

Attendant

A stranger surely! quite a stranger she!

Heracles

Is there some trouble that he withheld from me?

Attendant

Farewell, go thy way! my master’s troubles are my care.

Heracles

This word of thine heralds not a grief for strangers felt.

Attendant

Had it been, the sight of thy merriment had not grieved me so.
815

816

Heracles

Can⁵ it be mine host hath strangely wronged me?

Attendant

Thou earnest at no proper time for our house to welcome thee, for sorrow is come upon us; lo! thou seest our shorn heads and robes of sable hue.

Heracles

Who is it that is dead?

Is it a child or his aged sire that hat hath passed away?
820

Attendant

Nay, sir guest, ’tis Admetus’ wife that is no more.

Heracles

What sayest thou? and did ye then in spite of that admit me to your cheer?

Attendant

Yes, for his regard would not let him send thee from his door.

Heracles

Unhappy husband, what a wife hast thou lost!

Attendant

We are all undone, not she alone.
825

Heracles

I knew it when I saw his streaming eye, shorn head and downcast look, yet did he persuade me, saying it was a stranger he was bearing to burial. So I did constrain myself and passed his gates

and sat drinking in his hospitable halls, when he was suffering thus. And have I wreathed my head and do I revel still? But—thou to hold thy peace when such a crushing sorrow lay upon the house! Where is he burying her? Whither shall I go to find her?
830

Attendant

Beside the road that leadeth straight to Larissa, shalt thou see her carved tomb outside the suburb.
835

Heracles

O heart, O soul, both sufferers oft, now show the mettle of that son Tirynthian Alcmena, daughter of Electryon, bare to Zeus.

For I must save this woman, dead but now, setting Alcestis once again within this house, and to Admetus this kind service render. So I will go and watch for death the black-robed monarch of the dead, and him methinks I shall find
840

as he drinks of the blood-offering near the tomb. And if, from ambush rushing, once I catch and fold him in my arms’ embrace, none shall ever wrest him thence with smarting ribs, ere he give up the woman unto me.
845

But should I fail to find my prey and he come not to the clotted blood, I will go to the sunless home of those beneath the earth, to Persephone and her king, and make to them my prayer, sure that I shall bring Alcestis up again, to place her in the hands of him, my host,
850

who welcomed me to his house nor drove me thence, though fortune smote him hard, but this his noble spirit strove to hide out of regard for me. What host more kind than him in Thessaly? or in in the homes of Hellas? Wherefore shall he never say
855

his generous deeds were lavished on a worthless wretch. [Exeunt HERACLES and Servant.
860

Alcestis (OCR draft) Experimental (Alcestis. Robert Potter's English verse translation, first published in 1781–1783; text from the 1808 Oxford printing.)

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Ihr Männer Pherd's, die so liebevoll genaht, Die Todte hat nun Alles, und hoch tragen sie 590 Zum Scheiterhausen und zum Grab die Diener schon. Ihr aber grüßt nach hergebrachter Sitte sie, Die nun vom Hause wallt hinaus den lezten Gang!

Chor. Mit greisem Fuße seh' ich deinen Vater dort Annah'n, und deinem Weibe trägt die Dienerschaar 595 Den Schmuck in Hånden, dessen sich die Todten freun.

Admetos.

Current edition Experimental

Χορός καὶ μὴν ὁρῶ σὸν πατέρα γηραιῷ ποδὶ στείχοντʼ, ὀπαδούς τ’ ἐν χεροῖν δάμαρτι σῇ κόσμον φέροντας, νερτέρων ἀγάλματα.

Χορός παύσασθʼ· ἅλις γὰρ ἡ παροῦσα συμφορά· ὦ παῖ, πατρὸς δὲ μὴ παροξύνῃς φρένας.

Χορός πλείω λέλεκται νῦν τε καὶ τὰ πρὶν κακά· παῦσαι δέ, πρέσβυ, παῖδα σὸν κακορροθῶν.

Ἄδμητος λέγʼ, ὡς ἐμοῦ λέξαντος· εἰ δ’ ἀλγεῖς κλύων τἀληθές, οὐ χρῆν σ’ εἰς ἔμ’ ἐξαμαρτάνειν.

Φέρης σοῦ δ’ ἂν προθνῄσκων μᾶλλον ἐξημάρτανον. 710

Ἄδμητος ταὐτὸν γὰρ ἡβῶντ’ ἄνδρα καὶ πρέσβυν θανεῖν;

Φέρης ψυχῇ μιᾷ ζῆν, οὐ δυοῖν, ὀφείλομεν.

Ἄδμητος καὶ μὴν Διός γε μείζονα ζῴης χρόνον.

Φέρης ἀρᾷ γονεῦσιν οὐδὲν ἔκδικον παθών;

Ἄδμητος μακροῦ βίου γὰρ ᾐσθόμην ἐρῶντά σε. 715

Φέρης ἀλλ’ οὐ σὺ νεκρὸν ἀντὶ σοῦ τόνδ’ ἐκφέρεις;

Ἄδμητος σημεῖα τῆς σῆς, ὦ κάκιστʼ, ἀψυχίας.

Φέρης οὔτοι πρὸς ἡμῶν γ’ ὤλετʼ· οὐκ ἐρεῖς τόδε.

Ἄδμητος φεῦ· εἴθ’ ἀνδρὸς ἔλθοις τοῦδέ γ’ ἐς χρείαν ποτέ.

Φέρης μνήστευε πολλάς, ὡς θάνωσι πλείονες. 720

Ἄδμητος σοὶ τοῦτ’ ὄνειδος· οὐ γὰρ ἤθελες θανεῖν.

Φέρης φίλον τὸ φέγγος τοῦτο τοῦ θεοῦ, φίλον.

Ἄδμητος κακὸν τὸ λῆμα κοὐκ ἐν ἀνδράσιν τὸ σόν.

Φέρης οὐκ ἐγγελᾷς γέροντα βαστάζων νεκρόν.

Ἄδμητος θανῇ γε μέντοι δυσκλεής, ὅταν θάνῃς. 725

Φέρης κακῶς ἀκούειν οὐ μέλει θανόντι μοι.

Ἄδμητος φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ γῆρας ὡς ἀναιδείας πλέων.

Φέρης ἥδ’ οὐκ ἀναιδής· τήνδ’ ἐφηῦρες ἄφρονα.

Ἄδμητος ἄπελθε κἀμὲ τόνδ’ ἔα θάψαι νεκρόν.

Θεράπων ἐπιστάμεσθα ταῦτα· νῦν δὲ πράσσομεν οὐχ οἷα κώμου καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια.

Ἡρακλῆς γυνὴ θυραῖος ἡ θανοῦσα· μὴ λίαν 805 πένθει· δόμων γὰρ ζῶσι τῶνδε δεσπόται.

Θεράπων τί ζῶσιν; οὐ κάτοισθα τἀν δόμοις κακά;

Ἡρακλῆς εἰ μή τι σός με δεσπότης ἐψεύσατο.

Θεράπων ἄγαν ἐκεῖνός ἐστ’ ἄγαν φιλόξενος.

Ἡρακλῆς οὐ χρῆν μ’ ὀθνείου γ’ οὕνεκ’ εὖ πάσχειν νεκροῦ; 810

Θεράπων ἦ κάρτα μέντοι καὶ λίαν θυραῖος ἦν.

Ἡρακλῆς μῶν ξυμφοράν τιν’ οὖσαν οὐκ ἔφραζέ μοι;

Θεράπων χαίρων ἴθʼ· ἡμῖν δεσποτῶν μέλει κακά.

Ἡρακλῆς ὅδ’ οὐ θυραίων πημάτων ἄρχει λόγος.

Θεράπων οὐ γάρ τι κωμάζοντ’ ἂν ἠχθόμην σ’ ὁρῶν. 815

Ἡρακλῆς ἀλλ’ ἦ πέπονθα δείν’ ὑπὸ ξένων ἐμῶν;

Θεράπων οὐκ ἦλθες ἐν δέοντι δέξασθαι δόμοις. πένθος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι· καὶ στολμοὺς βλέπεις μελαμπέπλους κουράν τε.

Ἡρακλῆς τίς δ’ ὁ κατθανών; μῶν ἢ τέκνων τι φροῦδον ἢ γέρων πατήρ; 820

Θεράπων γυνὴ μὲν οὖν ὄλωλεν Ἀδμήτου, ξένε.

Ἡρακλῆς τί φῄς; ἔπειτα δῆτά μ’ ἐξενίζετε;

Θεράπων ᾐδεῖτο γάρ σε τῶνδ’ ἀπώσασθαι δόμων.

Ἡρακλῆς ὦ σχέτλιʼ, οἵας ἤμπλακες ξυναόρου.

Θεράπων ἀπωλόμεσθα πάντες, οὐ κείνη μόνη. 825

Θεράπων ὀρθὴν παρ’ οἶμον, ἣ ’πὶ Λάρισαν φέρει, 835 τύμβον κατόψῃ ξεστὸν ἐκ προαστίου.

Admetus Men of Pherae, kindly gathered here, lo! even now my servants are bearing the corpse with all its trappings shoulder-high to the funeral pyre for burial; do ye, as custom bids, salute the dead on her last journey starting. 610

Chorus Look! I see thy father advancing with aged step, and servants too bearing in their arms adornment for thy wife, offerings for the dead.

Chorus Peace! enough the present sorrow, O my son; goad not thy father’s soul to fury.

Chorus Too long that list both now and heretofore; cease, father, to revile thy son.

Admetus Say on, for I have said my say; but if it vexes thee to hear the truth, thou shouldst not have sinned against me.

Pheres My sin had been the deeper, had I died for thee. 710

Admetus What! is it all one for young or old to die?

Pheres To live one life, not twain, is all our due.

Admetus Outlive then Zeus himself!

Pheres Dost curse thy parents, though unharmed by them?

Admetus Yea, for I see thy heart is set on length of days. 715

Pheres Is it not to save thyself thou art carrying to the tomb this corpse?

Admetus A proof of thy cowardice, thou craven heart!

Pheres At any rate her death was not due to me; this thou canst not say.

Admetus Ah! mayst thou some day come to need my aid!

Pheres Woo many wives, that there may be the more to die. 720

Admetus That is thy reproach, for thou didst refuse to die.

Pheres Dear is the light of the sun-god, dear to all.

Admetus A coward soul is thine, not to be reckoned among men.

Pheres No laughing now for thee at bearing forth my aged corpse.

Admetus Thy death will surely be a death of shame, come when it will. 725

Pheres Once dead I little reck of foul report.

Admetus Alas! how void of shame the old can be!

Pheres Hers was no want of shame; ’twas want of sense in her that thou didst find.

Admetus Begone! and leave me to bury my dead.

Pheres I go; bury thy victim, thyself her murderer. Her kinsmen yet will call for an account. Else surely has Acastus ceased to be a man, if he avenge not on thee his sister’s blood. 730

Attendant I know all that, but our present state has little claim on revelry or laughter.

Heracles The dead was a stranger woman; grieve not to excess; for the rulers of thy house are living. 805

Attendant How, living? Thou knowest not the trouble in the house.

Heracles I do, unless thy master did in aught deceive me.

Ihr Männer Pherd's, die so liebevoll genaht,

Die Todte hat nun Alles, und hoch tragen sie
590

Zum Scheiterhausen und zum Grab die Diener schon.

Ihr aber grüßt nach hergebrachter Sitte sie,

Die nun vom Hause wallt hinaus den lezten Gang!

Chor.

Mit greisem Fuße seh' ich deinen Vater dort

Annah'n, und deinem Weibe trägt die Dienerschaar
595

Den Schmuck in Hånden, dessen sich die Todten freun.

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὁρῶ σὸν πατέρα γηραιῷ ποδὶ

στείχοντʼ, ὀπαδούς τ’ ἐν χεροῖν δάμαρτι σῇ

κόσμον φέροντας, νερτέρων ἀγάλματα.

Χορός

παύσασθʼ· ἅλις γὰρ ἡ παροῦσα συμφορά·

ὦ παῖ, πατρὸς δὲ μὴ παροξύνῃς φρένας.

Χορός

πλείω λέλεκται νῦν τε καὶ τὰ πρὶν κακά·

παῦσαι δέ, πρέσβυ, παῖδα σὸν κακορροθῶν.

Ἄδμητος

λέγʼ, ὡς ἐμοῦ λέξαντος· εἰ δ’ ἀλγεῖς κλύων

τἀληθές, οὐ χρῆν σ’ εἰς ἔμ’ ἐξαμαρτάνειν.

Φέρης

σοῦ δ’ ἂν προθνῄσκων μᾶλλον ἐξημάρτανον.
710

Ἄδμητος

ταὐτὸν γὰρ ἡβῶντ’ ἄνδρα καὶ πρέσβυν θανεῖν;

Φέρης

ψυχῇ μιᾷ ζῆν, οὐ δυοῖν, ὀφείλομεν.

Ἄδμητος

καὶ μὴν Διός γε μείζονα ζῴης χρόνον.

Φέρης

ἀρᾷ γονεῦσιν οὐδὲν ἔκδικον παθών;

Ἄδμητος

μακροῦ βίου γὰρ ᾐσθόμην ἐρῶντά σε.
715

Φέρης

ἀλλ’ οὐ σὺ νεκρὸν ἀντὶ σοῦ τόνδ’ ἐκφέρεις;

Ἄδμητος

σημεῖα τῆς σῆς, ὦ κάκιστʼ, ἀψυχίας.

Φέρης

οὔτοι πρὸς ἡμῶν γ’ ὤλετʼ· οὐκ ἐρεῖς τόδε.

Ἄδμητος

φεῦ· εἴθ’ ἀνδρὸς ἔλθοις τοῦδέ γ’ ἐς χρείαν ποτέ.

Φέρης

μνήστευε πολλάς, ὡς θάνωσι πλείονες.
720

Ἄδμητος

σοὶ τοῦτ’ ὄνειδος· οὐ γὰρ ἤθελες θανεῖν.

Φέρης

φίλον τὸ φέγγος τοῦτο τοῦ θεοῦ, φίλον.

Ἄδμητος

κακὸν τὸ λῆμα κοὐκ ἐν ἀνδράσιν τὸ σόν.

Φέρης

οὐκ ἐγγελᾷς γέροντα βαστάζων νεκρόν.

Ἄδμητος

θανῇ γε μέντοι δυσκλεής, ὅταν θάνῃς.
725

Φέρης

κακῶς ἀκούειν οὐ μέλει θανόντι μοι.

Ἄδμητος

φεῦ φεῦ· τὸ γῆρας ὡς ἀναιδείας πλέων.

Φέρης

ἥδ’ οὐκ ἀναιδής· τήνδ’ ἐφηῦρες ἄφρονα.

Ἄδμητος

ἄπελθε κἀμὲ τόνδ’ ἔα θάψαι νεκρόν.

Θεράπων

ἐπιστάμεσθα ταῦτα· νῦν δὲ πράσσομεν

οὐχ οἷα κώμου καὶ γέλωτος ἄξια.

Ἡρακλῆς

γυνὴ θυραῖος ἡ θανοῦσα· μὴ λίαν
805

πένθει· δόμων γὰρ ζῶσι τῶνδε δεσπόται.

Θεράπων

τί ζῶσιν; οὐ κάτοισθα τἀν δόμοις κακά;

Ἡρακλῆς

εἰ μή τι σός με δεσπότης ἐψεύσατο.

Θεράπων

ἄγαν ἐκεῖνός ἐστ’ ἄγαν φιλόξενος.

Ἡρακλῆς

οὐ χρῆν μ’ ὀθνείου γ’ οὕνεκ’ εὖ πάσχειν νεκροῦ;
810

Θεράπων

ἦ κάρτα μέντοι καὶ λίαν θυραῖος ἦν.

Ἡρακλῆς

μῶν ξυμφοράν τιν’ οὖσαν οὐκ ἔφραζέ μοι;

Θεράπων

χαίρων ἴθʼ· ἡμῖν δεσποτῶν μέλει κακά.

Ἡρακλῆς

ὅδ’ οὐ θυραίων πημάτων ἄρχει λόγος.

Θεράπων

οὐ γάρ τι κωμάζοντ’ ἂν ἠχθόμην σ’ ὁρῶν.
815

Ἡρακλῆς

ἀλλ’ ἦ πέπονθα δείν’ ὑπὸ ξένων ἐμῶν;

Θεράπων

οὐκ ἦλθες ἐν δέοντι δέξασθαι δόμοις.

πένθος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐστι· καὶ στολμοὺς βλέπεις

μελαμπέπλους κουράν τε.

Ἡρακλῆς

τίς δ’ ὁ κατθανών;

μῶν ἢ τέκνων τι φροῦδον ἢ γέρων πατήρ;
820

Θεράπων

γυνὴ μὲν οὖν ὄλωλεν Ἀδμήτου, ξένε.

Ἡρακλῆς

τί φῄς; ἔπειτα δῆτά μ’ ἐξενίζετε;

Θεράπων

ᾐδεῖτο γάρ σε τῶνδ’ ἀπώσασθαι δόμων.

Ἡρακλῆς

ὦ σχέτλιʼ, οἵας ἤμπλακες ξυναόρου.

Θεράπων

ἀπωλόμεσθα πάντες, οὐ κείνη μόνη.
825

Θεράπων

ὀρθὴν παρ’ οἶμον, ἣ ’πὶ Λάρισαν φέρει,
835

τύμβον κατόψῃ ξεστὸν ἐκ προαστίου.

Admetus

Men of Pherae, kindly gathered here, lo! even now my servants are bearing the corpse with all its trappings shoulder-high to the funeral pyre for burial; do ye, as custom bids,

salute the dead on her last journey starting.
610

Chorus

Look! I see thy father advancing with aged step, and servants too bearing in their arms adornment for thy wife, offerings for the dead.

Chorus

Peace! enough the present sorrow, O my son; goad not thy father’s soul to fury.

Chorus

Too long that list both now and heretofore; cease, father, to revile thy son.

Admetus

Say on, for I have said my say; but if it vexes thee to hear the truth, thou shouldst not have sinned against me.

Pheres

My sin had been the deeper, had I died for thee.
710

Admetus

What! is it all one for young or old to die?

Pheres

To live one life, not twain, is all our due.

Admetus

Outlive then Zeus himself!

Pheres

Dost curse thy parents, though unharmed by them?

Admetus

Yea, for I see thy heart is set on length of days.
715

Pheres

Is it not to save thyself thou art carrying to the tomb this corpse?

Admetus

A proof of thy cowardice, thou craven heart!

Pheres

At any rate her death was not due to me; this thou canst not say.

Admetus

Ah! mayst thou some day come to need my aid!

Pheres

Woo many wives, that there may be the more to die.
720

Admetus

That is thy reproach, for thou didst refuse to die.

Pheres

Dear is the light of the sun-god, dear to all.

Admetus

A coward soul is thine, not to be reckoned among men.

Pheres

No laughing now for thee at bearing forth my aged corpse.

Admetus

Thy death will surely be a death of shame, come when it will.
725

Pheres

Once dead I little reck of foul report.

Admetus

Alas! how void of shame the old can be!

Pheres

Hers was no want of shame; ’twas want of sense in her that thou didst find.

Admetus

Begone! and leave me to bury my dead.

Pheres

I go; bury thy victim, thyself her murderer. Her kinsmen yet will call for an account. Else surely has Acastus ceased to be a man, if he avenge not on thee his sister’s blood.
730

Attendant

I know all that, but our present state has little claim on revelry or laughter.

Heracles

The dead was a stranger woman; grieve not to excess; for the rulers of thy house are living.
805

Attendant

How, living? Thou knowest not the trouble in the house.

Heracles

I do, unless thy master did in aught deceive me.

Attendant

Too hospitable is he.

Heracles

Was I to miss good cheer because a stranger had died?
810

Attendant

A stranger surely! quite a stranger she!

Heracles

Is there some trouble that he withheld from me?